Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption
by LordofDigitalAlchemy
Summary: What if the soul fragment of Voldemort expanded its reach, twisting young Harrys own into the darkest paths of magic? The Boy-who-lived would never be the prophecised hero... he would be the next Dark Lord. And two Dark Lords can not co-exist at once...
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption._  
__**Chapter One**__: A terrible discovery. _

It is a dark and stormy night around Number 4 Private Drive, Surrey, England. The occasional lightning bolt and clap of thunder break the otherwise silent torrent of freezing rain.

For the most part, the locals are inside sleeping soundly. But thats only the muggles.

The lone Wizard in the area is wide awake, watching the storm around his "home" with little emotion showing on his face.

In the far distance he can make out a white and silver eagle owl flapping its way toward Number 4, and yes, he knows for certain that the owl was coming for him and no one else.

Only another Wizard would send a letter by way of owl, and even at this distance, he can pick out the tiny white envelope strapped to its left leg.

"Hogwarts." he states in a soft tone. "Looks like I'll be getting my second chance afterall."

sssssssss

Nine months ago, October 31st 1990.  
Harry James Potter shivers violently in his cupboard under the stairs, spine arching as terrible pain wracks his body and mind.

He has never felt such agony before in all his life, not even from the occasional back-hand or kick when his uncle was perticullary angry and a bone would break.

His eyes are clenched shut tightly as he begins to thrash about, scar bleeding rapidly down the side of his face.

It feels like every inch of flesh was being flayed off slowly, then lit on fire. His bones ached as though they were being compacted in a car-crusher.

All of this was not far off, because the raw magic rolling off of the child was literially trying to tear him apart as Voldemorts fragment of soul from that night years and years ago spread its influence, awakening memorys and terrible rituals performed that now took ahold of its current body, like a parasite eating away at its host.

Ofcourse, Lilys blood sacrifice was doing its best to fight it off, and the wards surrounding number 4 were helping... but Harry had never truely been able to call this place home. He was unwelcome and hated. And in some cases... hate is far stronger than love could ever hope to be.

Harrys throat is numb from screaming, and his mind... his mind is scattered to the four corners. 'You _are mine now, boy..._' a cold, high-pitched voice murmurs inside of his head, and with a crackle of electricity snapping off from his magic, a solid black aura solidified and wrapped around the body of the child.

Harry James Potter ceased to exist as Voldemort fully absorbed his essence into the others soul, overpowering it and taking control, nulling the power Lily gave Harry when she died.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was reborn in his place... with every bit of magic avalible to him now as it was before that fateful night... and no unsightly costs to the current body as had been done to his original.

sssssssss

Present night, 1991.  
The eagle owl glided in through an open window with a shiver, and not one caused by the cold. In an instant it has transformed into the form of Albus Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

His deep purple robes swish around him and his black boots click slightly on the tiled floor of the kitchen as he makes his way through into the hallway.

He can feel the remnants of a magic signature inside the cupboard under the stairs, and for a few moments, feels regret and sadness for what he is sure has been a harsh life.

But...

"It was for the greater good.. he would have been raised with fear of Voldemort.. fear that could be used against him, when the prophecy says they will fight. For this, m'boy, I must allow you no comfort in living like a prince among our kind..." Dumbledore mutters softly, leaning down and easily shifting the lock aside.

The door swings open easily enough but he recoils from the smell within, surpressing a strong gag reflex. "Lumos!" Dumbledore orders as he draws his wand out, ducking down again to take a good look at the inside of that cupboard.

He briefly wishes he hadn't.

The rotten skeleton of a slightly young child stares back at him, tattered cloths torn and bloody. A note hangs from the neck and looks to have been written with the childs blood: 'Too late to stop things, Dumbledore. He will return.' it reads.

Turning away Dumbledore conjures a bucket just intime to fill it to the brim with his dinner, shuddering violently.

'No.. No, it can not be... his servants scattered far, but most were captured.. who would do such a thing?' he thought numbly. 'Few... few and far between know who lives--lived.. lived here...' after finishing, he banishs the bucket to the sink and quickly shuts the door, unable to look at the remnants of the Boy-who-lived.

Rising to his feet quickly enough, Dumbledore heads up to the upper floor, seeing blood lining the stairs only making him hurry faster.

The stench of death is strong here as well. He knows the moment he arrived before the door, that all inhabitants of Number 4 are long dead. But he must be absolutely sure, he has to see it for himself, and with a resigned sigh pushes the door open.

Petunia and Vernon Dursley are only so much smears on the walls, floor, ceiling, and everything else in the room.

'Their child... the stains on the stairs...' dry heaving Dumbledore backs away, taking in the slight flesh colored smears along certain steps to be Dudley Dursley.

The Dark Magic that killed them all is so strong, he wonders how he missed it when he first arrived, so preoccupied with making sure Harry is okay after the last sixteen letters failed to be answered.

Never would he have suspected this to be the case, however. Unwilling to step through Dudley again, Dumbledore returns to his animagus form and glides down to the hallway again, then right back into the kitchen and out the window.

He only gets as far as the now worthless wards before he collapses to the ground, returning to his Wizard form, and apparates directly into the Minstry of Magic. Somehow he avoids splinching.

Before a tree nearby, Tom Riddle cancels the wandless Disillusion charm over his body, a manical grin stretching his lips in a terrifying fashion. "Now I can opperate without fear of being reported to the Ministry. A few illusions to my form and not even Dumbledore would suspect me to be an eleven year old boy." he says after a few moments.

He apparates away just as another boom of thunder passes overhead, looking into his plans for the revenge.

But...

even the best laid of plans can go awry.

Mrs. Figg quietly watchs as the dark haired youth vanishs with a crack of apparation, alerted already from Dumbledores own vanishing act.

sssssssss

Tom arrived before Borgin and Burkes with a crack, pulling his hood up over his face. The nearby shops are closed, but he knows where to go to get a wand at two in the morning.

Crossing the threshold of Olivanders Wandshop alerts the sleeping Wandmaker to his late night visitor. Glancing blearily at the clock beside his arms he pushs himself away from the desk and draws his own from a holstor on his arm.

"I know you are down there, and you know I closed an hour ago." Olivander calls ahead as he walks around to the steps leading down to the main floor.

He hears the sound of the doorbell jingling and sees the door itself slam shut a moment later, and though he can't see anyone outside, he doesn't see anyone inside either. "Hmph." with a grunt Olivander stows his wand away again and checks the door.

The handles been melted by intense heat. Or perhaps... venom? A sound behind him announces the falling of another Disillusion charm and the picking up of a wand.

"You know, Olivander, this wand may not have chosen me but I've already overloaded its natural resistance. Two words and I can end your life. But why should I deprive all of Wizarding Britain of its only Wandmaker? I know you have far better and stronger wands somewhere in here, hidden beyond the common pieces." Tom says.

"It would be in your best interest to lead me to them. If you refuse... I have means at my disposal to ensure you obey me." he adds. Olivander, having frozen at the first words, slowly swivels around. "The Imperius?" he questions. "Or would you prefer Crucio, old man?" Tom responds.

"Step out of the shadows and show me who I'm dealing with. I don't recognize your voice so you must be either a new student or seeking a replacement from one of my rival wandmakers." Olivander ordered. The Aurors should be here in a few more minutes, so its only a matter of stalling long enough...

"Aurors? Come now, Olivander. I've been eluding and killing Auras for decades." reading Olivanders minds easily enough, "_Imperio_!" Tom hissed. The spell struck the elder man and he instantly walked past Tom and up to the steps again, heading into his own room in the back and pulling a key from around his neck that had previously been disillusioned.

Stepping up to his desk Olivander pulled out his wand and tapped the third from the bottom shelf. It expanded rapidly, pushing the rest of the desk out of its way, until a tiny keyhole that had previously be the size of a pin-prick formed.

With the key slotted in and turned counter-clockwise three times, a click, and a thunk, a hidden compartment slid open and four wands rolled out. Olivander promptly picked them up and placed them onto the desk before Tom.

"Tell me." he ordered. Olivander touched the first wand. "Redwood, 9 ¼ inchs, Cerberus hair core. Very complex rituals and transfiguration." he touched the next wand. "Sequoia, 12 inchs, Veela hair core. Charms." he touched the next. "Holly, 11 ½, Phoenix feather core. General spellwork." he paused before the last wand, and struggled against the imperius curse.

"Tell me. What is so special about the last wand?" Tom demanded, pushing more willpower into it. Veins bulging, Olivander touched it and began.

"Elder... 15... ⅛.. inchs.." he seemed to be struggling against the curse harder, reluctant to give up the infomation. Toms eyebrows met and he pushed again. Olivanders nose began to bleed.

"Thestral... tail.. core..." For a moment Tom lessoned the imperius curse, curiosity peaked as something in the back of his mind whispered to him, far away and yet so close at the same time. "The.. elder... wand.." and there it was.

Tom leaned down and snatched the wand off the desk, feeling its magic surge into him and enforce the imperius so strongly Olivander began gushing with infomation.

Tom heard of how he recieved the wand in a dual with Fillius Flitwick, who earned it from Albus Dumbledore, who took it from Gellert Grindewald, who stole it from a german wandmaker.

He heard of the tale behind the Elderwand and what it supposedly could do, and of the other hallows, before Olivander collapsed into unconsciousness.

Tom silently fingered the Elderwand, looking at the others. "Master of death... so it looks like my Horcruxes might be negated if someone were to unite the Deathly Hallows against me." looking down to the other wands, Tom reached down on an impulse and touched the Phoenix feather core wand. Sparks shot out from the end of it sharply and he picked it up as well.

"The Elderwand, and perhaps the brotherwand to my original." he murmured softly, eyes alight with a deeply desturbing glee.

He looked around the back room for any other item that might prove useful and quickly selected two holstors for each wand, strapping them to his inner arms. With that he set Olivanders body on fire and the desk as well, knowing the flames would spread.

With a full body bind curse to keep him still and a silencing spell just to be sure he remains quiet, Tom departed from the wandshop. In minutes his Fiendfyre had destroyed the entire shop and worked its way to the next nearest two as well.

Tom watched it all from his position down the street, cloths transfigured into something more worthy of a Wizard of Toms stature. His face was already hidden behind a number of glamours and charms.

sssssssss

Tom waited until the next morning before leaving the quiet inn he had stayed at within Knockturn Alley. No one remembered him, and he did not pay.

To his surprise he found Lucius Malfoy escorting his wife Narcissa and what he assumed to be their son towards Gringotts. With a slight frown Tom began following, curious as to how one of his more loyal Death Eaters remained alive and in public.

No one in Knockturn Alley held any trustworthy infomation on the last ten years.

Just before the trio were about to enter Tom cast a brief Imperio, watching as the man stopped and turned in mid-stride to descend back down the steps. "Follow me." he ordered his wife and son.

With curious and confused looks the Malfoys were led around to the same inn Tom had stayed at for the night.

They entered and ascended the stairs to the top floor, entering the second door from the right at the end of the hall.

A locking and silencing spell was cast after the trio entered. "Well, well. Lucius, I can't help but wonder whats going on." Tom called over to them, stepping out of the shadows and sitting down at a table. The imperius was lifted and Lucius drew his wand in one swift motion.

"Who do you think you are, boy?" Malfoy senior snarled, hesitating to kill the other Wizard before his son, but more than willing to seriously maim him.

"Put you wand away, Lucius, or I shall do it for you." Tom ordered softly. With a flash and a bang a green spell shot from Lucius wand and was deflected by a deeper green curse that the older man had the good sense to duck.

Draco was thrown out of the way by his mother, but Narcissa was hit. With a look of fear on her face she collapsed to the ground, unconscious and paling.

"Perhaps you should have listioned to your master, Lucius. I have waited ten years and now I find myself lacking of infomation and loyal servants." Tom drawled, standing up. With a hiss in parseltongue, the Dark Mark burned lightly, forcing Lucius to cringe and clutch at his arm sharply, looking between this boy and his wife.

Draco shook his mother lightly, worried about her and what was going on. "Start talking, Lucius Malfoy, or I shall end both her life and your sons. Or do you want further proof I am Lord Voldemort incarnate?" Tom questioned, looking the older man in the eyes and battering aside his Occlumency shields with ease.

sssssssss

With a cry of agony Lucius dropped to his hands and knees, and crawled forward, kissing the hem of Toms robes. "F-Forgive me, master.." he begged, tears trailing down his cheeks rapidly.

Draco watched the exchange with fear and surprise, but also a bit of outrage. Where was the great Malfoy pride now? Why was his father bowing down to and begging this child his age or less?

Tom picked up on the thoughts and smirked. "Your son does not take to your current actions well, Lucius. He will make a fine Death Eater some day, provided he lives that long." he stated.

Lucius momentarily froze. "Oh, do not fear, Lucius, I will not be punishing you or your family for remaining free of Azkaban. You did what you deemed nessicary." he paused, noting the senior Malfoys look of relief.

"No, I will be punishing you for never trying to find me before this. No doubt my original is still out in Albania, withering away and cursing each and everyone of you Death Eaters for your failure to find him and do your duty. _Crucio_!" he growled, aiming the Elderwand at Draco and Narcissa.

Draco crumpled to the ground and began screaming in agony, body twisting sharply and trying to break free of the curse. Narcissa awoke and mimiced her son.

Lucius knew better than to interfere with his masters lessons, but he was hardpressed to sit by and do nothing as his own family was tortured. "Please, my lord, I beg you stop this!" he groveled pleadingly. "Another minute, Lucius. One minute more for each word you say after this." Tom responded coldly, a grin of demented pleasure stretching his face.

Lucius barely contained his response but made the mistake of thinking it instead. Tom caught it and redirected his ministrations onto the elder Wizard.

The screams that escaped him lasted far longer than his son and wifes.

sssssssss

After enduring this for another two minutes Lucius was allowed sanity again. He barely managed to crawl over to his wife and son.

"Enough. Get up, or I put you though another two minutes." Tom ordered harshly, disgusted by the show of love the Malfoys were showing by clinging together so tightly. "You have ten seconds, Lucius, before I begin. Nine. Eight. Seven." Tom began.

At one Lucius flung himself away from his family and forced himself up to his hands and knees. "Close.. but not enough. You will be going into the Ministry today and confessing to a joint-effort attack on Number 4 Private Drive three days ago, Lucius, confirming you tortured and killed Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley with a number of dark spells I taught you fifteen years ago." Tom ordered.

Lucius could only nod his head a few inchs. "You will also confess to taking Harry James Potter from his home at Number 4 and, after attempting to turn him to your side, imperiused him into accompanying you in the attack on Olivanders this morning, where you forced him to find a wand that fit him before burning the shop to the ground. You will tell the Ministry this because you will be under the Imperius yourself, ensuring you do not betray me."

Tom continued. "You will tell them where to find Malfoy Manor and warn them that Harry Potter will die in twenty minutes. When they ask you why you have confessed all of this, you will tell them you were acting on the orders of another Death Eater currently un-named that forced you to, but that you willingly commited the crimes ten years ago of your own accord."

Lucius silently bobbed his head again. "And now it is time to set things up for the Boy-who-lived to rejoin the Wizarding World publically. I have quite a few things to discuss with my Potions Master."


	2. Chapter 2

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption._  
__**Chapter Two**__: Of treachery_ _we dost speak_

Propperly cleaned and dressed, with no trace of the strain he had previously been put under just an hour before, Lucius Malfoy entered the Ministry of Magic via floo.

Normally he would have been surprised to see more aurors rushing about than usual, even insulted when two of them approached him at a quick stride.

But today has been anything but normal for the senior Malfoy. "I intend to have a meeting with Minister Fudge. Move aside." he sneers in his usual manner, stepping between them yet bumping into one, and carrying on to the elevator.

The two aurors swiftly turn about and follow him. "Lucius Malfoy, you are to halt and allow yourself to be examined for weapons, wand not included as that is to be handed over immediatly!" one ordered, upping his pace to catch up with the older Wizard.

Lucius neither halted nor allowed himself to be examined. With a flourish his wand was out and the Auror to speak up was blasted off his feet and into a wall.

The other quickly drew his own wand but found himself paralysed as the fast-acting poison held in the tip of Lucius cane spread through out his body from the brief contact.

Several other aurors on hand yet scattered about the main floor were too slow to reach him before the doors of the elevator closed with a clang.

ssssssssss

Minister Fudge wearily rubbed his eyes. "It just makes no sense, Albus. The boy-who-lived, dead? I find it hard to believe it was a Death Eater attack considering the lack of a Dark Mark above the residence, and you yourself said the body seemed to have been rotting for some days now!" he argued, leaning back in his chair.

Albus Dumbledore reigned in a retort and sighed in its place, feeling this was going nowhere fast. He had been at it for the better part of yesterday and now this morning, and the burning of Olivanders had done little to help his frazzled nerves.

"You have often taken advice from me, Cornelius, and I ask that you do so once again: Call in all alledged Death Eaters and have them questioned! If you do this now, it may be possible to get an accurate wand-check before any traces can be erased!" Dumbledore insisted.

Fudge merely shook his head. "Albus, the aurors are already spread out after that incident at Olivanders-- rest his soul-- and I simply can't invade respected members of our community and demand" whatever else Fudge may have been about to say was lost in the explosion of wood as the double doors leading into the Ministers office were blown apart.

Lucius Malfoy barely had the next spell on the tip of his tongue before he was gagged and bound.

Dumbledore squared his jaw as he tucked his wand back into his robes and rounded on Fudge. "This is precisely what I am telling you is going to happen, Cornelius, and if you continue to refuse I will take it above your head! The Wizingamot still has some power you do not." he stated fiercely.

Fudge slowly peaked his head up from around his desk and wiped a few splinters off, slightly paler now than before, and turned slowly to face Dumbledore while still keeping his attacker in sight.

"If you insist on doing so, Dumbledore, than so be it. It would appear one alledged Death Eater has willingly come to the Ministry. If you would be so kind as to remove his gag I would like to hear what he has to say." he responded slowly.

Dumbledore resisted the urge to hex the Minister of Magic into next week. "Are you truly so blinded by ambition and power that you fail to see the attack led against your very person by this man?" he demanded.

"The only one leading an attack against me as it stands is you, Dumbledore. I must insist you leave once the aurors get here." Fudge responded.

Dumbledore drew himself up to his full height. "If no word of this, nor the death of Mr. Potter, is in the Daily Prophet by tommorrow morning, Cornelius, their will be no end to the trouble I shall cause for you and the office you hold dear." he stated plainly, and without waiting for an answer, spun around and promptly exited the room.

On a nearby shelf a small, otherwise unnoticed, beetle listioned in on the conversation with much interest.

It seems the Daily Prophet would be getting a very facinating story that evening, well before Dumbledore expected it to be there.

ssssssssss

'Boy-who-lived kidnapped from muggle residence by pure-blood supporter of He-who-must-not-be-named! Headmaster of Hogwarts declares all former Death Eaters be brought in for questioning! Cont. Page 2.'

Tom idly flicked through the Daily Prophet left out on the Ministers desk. So far things were going according to his plans, mostly.

After being 'rescued' by a small squad of aurors following Lucius confessing, Tom had been checked over for any permanent spell damage or lingering effects. They were unable to find anything, save for the magical scar on his forehead.

Ofcourse, carefully placed Obliviations did a good job of hiding anything unnessicary, such as the abnormal amounts of magic the eleven year old had avalible to him, or the fact he had two wands strapped to his inner wrists.

Afterwards he had been questioned about the last few days and what had happened. His story of being kidnapped, imperiused, and then set to be killed when he resisted matched up with Lucius. Almost too well, even.

But back to the present...

The repaired doors slid open with a creak and Fudge himself entered. "Hello, Harry-- do you mind if I call you Harry?" he asked kindly. Toms face slid into a scowl that was instantly replaced with the tired, battered image of an 11 year old.

"N-no, sir..." he began weakly. Inside he was very much loathing the act, but to the world at large, no one could know what he _truly_ was. So he had to act like the actual Harry Potter would have. And Tom had years of the boys memorys to use for just such a need.

"Right, Harry, you have had a very exhausting week, are you sure you wish to travel to Hogwarts so soon?" Fudge continued in the same kind, concerned voice.

"Yes, sir." Tom responded. "Also... I-I, theres something... I n-need to tell you.." he added in the same weak, scared voice.

Fudge leaned in. "I am always avalible, Harry. What is it?" he asked, sensing an oppurtunity to gain the boys allegiance for the future.

Glancing around slowly, Tom leaned in. Fudge did so as well.

"_Imperio_." he whispered, Elderwand emerging from one sleeve.

Fudges eyes glazed over briefly before returning to the usual bright, intelligent look. Well, for Fudge, anyway.

"You are going to start holding inquirys to the goings on of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. You will start a bill to have the school closed down if students start dying, and the property ownership will be released to the highest bidder in a closed off auction the following week." Tom ordered.

Fudge nodded his head. "Albus Dumbledore will be sacked as headmaster and removed from the Wizingamot. When I buy the property through Gringotts you will authorize me as the new owner and back my every order." he stated.

Fudge nodded again. "Now place your right hand into my own." Tom grapsed the Ministers right hand with his own. With his left he idly pointed to the closed window and sharply spun it around to the bookshelf over the fireplace.

With a loud crack a woman fell from it in a heap. "_Imperio_." Tom ordered lazily, directing his attention to the Witch. Rita Skeeter rose to her feet and drew out her wand, placing the tip to their clasped hands.

"You will do nothing to tell another Wizard or Witch what has occured within this room over the last twenty minutes?" Tom asked. "I will." Fudge responded. A thin tongue of flame escaped Ritas wand and wound around their wrists.

"You will do everything in your power, including using the Imperius, Memory charms, and blackmail to insure the orders given you on this day by Tom Marvolo Riddle are carried out?" Tom asked. "I will." Fudge answered.

A second tongue of flame wrapped about their wrists and the first, forming a glowing chain.

With that the Unbreakable Vow was completed.

As the chain faded from sight the two released one anothers hands. Tom leaned in close to Fudge. "Now tell me, Minister, where do you store the Prophecys?"

ssssssssss

Tom met with Dumbledore later that night. "Harry, m'boy, I can not express the joy I feel that you are alive and well!" Dumbledore stated with true pleasure to his voice.

Tom merely stared at him blankly, though inside he was seething. 'You old fool.. I would destroy you now if it would not damage my plans!' he thought darkly, but his well trained Occlumency hid it.

Without a response, Dumbledore carried on. "Harry, I know you are eager to begin school, but perhaps you should rest for a few days. The mental trauma can be more lasting than you would expect, and I do not wish for you to become fatigued or worse." he said kindly.

Tom shrugged. "Sir, I have waited ten years to rejoin the Wizarding world. I will not wait one day longer than I need, and the mediwitchs declared me fit to attend school." he replied in a dull and tired voice.

Dumbledore frowned but nodded his head.

"So be it, Harry. You already have a wand, but you are lacking all other items nessicary to attend Hogwarts. I believe I still have your invitation letter with me..." he paused, reaching into his rich purple robes and dragging the slightly battered letter free.

Tom reached for it and slit it open. He carefully allowed a small expression of joy to show up as he read, but it was emulated merely for Dumbledore suspictions, if there were any, to be laid to rest. For now.

"It is late, but I believe I can persuade the owners of the nessicary shops to open up for just a few minutes more for the Boy-who-lived, if you do not mind using your reputation to your benifit, that is?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, sir." Tom answered. "Then let us be off." Dumbledore responded, approaching the nearest floo on the main floor.

ssssssssss

Arriving in the Leaky Cauldron, Dumbledore led Tom out the back door and through the magical brick wall.

They were shortly gathering the needed supplies after a trip to Gringotts, where Dumbledore produced the Potter vaults key. Tom made sure to summon it from the old Wizard after it was returned to him by the goblin.

An hour later and Tom had every item needed. Including a pet owl. A snake would only raise warning bells, if not now than when Tom arrived at school and started regullary opening the Chamber of Secrets, so he went with a less likely animal.

"Am I finally supplied enough to arrive at Hogwarts, headmaster?" Tom asked as they returned to the Leaky Cauldron.

"Yes, m'boy, its time. We can floo directly to my office, and from there the Sorting Hat can place you into a house. If you are hungry the house-elves can bring you something before you turn in for the night afterwards." he said.

Tom nodded his head. "I would very much like to be on our way, headmaster." he responded. "Then let us be off."

ssssssssss

Tom slid the hat warily onto his head. 'Oh my, oh my...' the Sorting Hat said, looking into Toms mind. 'A Slytherin returned. You have grand plans, Tom Riddle, very grand indeed. Obviously you belong in your original house, but that would raise trouble once Slytherins beast is released, yes it would... Shall I put you in Gryffindor?' it teased, knowing the reaction that would get if Tom was able to give it.

'If you do so I will have a permanent regenaration charm placed upon you and placed into the acidic stomach of the Basilisk.' Tom thought back to it venomously

The Hat grinned. 'No need to get so vicious, Tom Riddle. Or would you prefer Voldemort these days? No matter. How sounds Hufflepuff?' Tom nearly tore the hat from his head.

'No? Well, if you are sure... It must be Ravenclaw for thee." the Hat said aloud. Dumbledore began to clap when the Hat grimmaced. "No, no, I must be getting old, headmaster. That was meant to be a question, not a statement, and for the boy only." it said.

Beneath the Hat Tom banished his conjured serpent, whose fangs remained lodged in the back of the Hat for a few moments more.

'No more jokes. Sort me into Slytherin or I swear I will set you alight now!' Tom demanded. "Ah... yes, very cunning indeed, to have outwitted a Malfoy in such a manner... very well. SLYTHERIN!" the Hat yelped.

Tom drew it from his head, the black flames licking at its innards briefly for a few more seconds.

Dumbledore reached for it and the flames vanished. Tom stared at the Hat darkly and it grimmaced back at him. "I'd watch this one if I were you, Dumbledore." it warned. "He's had a very rough life with those muggles. Regular beatings and the like. Don't want him going dark if pushed by the other students too harshly." it stated, knowing that would slow down Toms plans.

Tom barely held back his hiss and turned it into a sharp cough. "Goodnight to you, Harry Potter." the Hat stated, returning to its usual stiff and silent posture.

ssssssssss

Tom entered the Slytherin house room, knowing Dumbledore had sent a house-elf to following him and ensure he made it there safely... as well as to keep an eye on him for the next few weeks.

The following morning Tom was already sitting in the main room, waiting for the others. "Who the hell are you?" a seventh year demanded. "Harry Potter." Tom responded coolly.

Those two words worked they way back along the line of growing Slytherins.

"Potter, huh? Well I don't know what the fuck you think you're doing in my house, but--" and that was as far as he got before Tom stood up and hissed. A dozen cobras slid out from beneath various couchs or tables, and one anaconda in perticular dropped down from the overhanging picture of Salazar, landing with a thump behind Tom, and quickly sliding up and onto his shoulders, hanging there looking at the others with disgust.

"Lets get a few things straight. From this moment forth, this house is under MY orders. Severus Snape may be your head of house, but the head of house takes his orders from ME. Resistance will not be tolerated and I will kill you on sight if it pleases me." he stated coldly.

The seventh year sneer and drew his wand. "We'll see about that, Potter! _Reducto_!" he shouted.

Tom raised the Elderwand and countered. "_Crucio_!" the dark curse shattered the other and slammed into the seventh year with enough force to throw him off his feet, screaming. As the other students paled at this and looked slowly back and forth between the two, a voice very familar to Tom spoke up.

"Potter! Release him this instant and follow me!" Snape ordered, leveling his wand at the first years head.

Tom hissed something in parseltongue and the Dark Mark on Severus arm burned sharply, making the older Wizard flinch and grasp at it. "In a minute, Severus. I've got much to talk with you about, but first I have to make sure my lesson penetraits this mudbloods thick skull." he said calmly, grinning as the screams reached a higher point.

ssssssssss

With the entire Slytherin house gagged, bound, and stupified to keep them out of trouble for the moment, Tom and Snape entered the head of houses office.

Several privacy spells and locking charms later...

"So, Severus. Working for Dumbledore now. I can't say that has me happy." Tom said softly. Snape grimmaced and rubbed at his Dark Mark again.

"I am finding this hard to believe. You have been reincarnated in the body of the son of the two who defied you thrice, nine years after your original body was destroyed?" Snape repeated what he had been told briefly before.

"Lord Voldemort does not enjoy repeating himself, Severus." Tom stated.

Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "Forgive me if I find it hard to swallow this perticually bitter potion. You know how I loathed James Potter, and now I must look him in the eyes every day, knowing my Master is residing beneath that face..." he trailed off.

Tom scowled. With a few words his face transfigured itself to the actual Tom Riddles, though at the age of 18. "Tell me, Severus, does this sight help motivate you? Or perhaps you would like to see Lord Voldemort as he was at the height of his previous power? But he does not follow what his servants want. He does as he chooses, and his servants will do so as well if they wish to live." Tom ordered.

Snape slowly dropped to his knees and, leaning forward and down, kissed the hem of Toms robes. "Better Severus. Now why don't you tell me everything you have done since my downfall. And when we are done, I believe you entire house needs to be Obliviated."


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption._  
__**Chapter Three:**__ Subtle acts in the start_

Tom entered his first class of the day with a slight limp. Loath as he was to live this act, live it he must. As such his ankle had been twisted and a couple of bruises applied to make him seem more like Harry Potter would after a night in the former Dark Lords house...

Everyone hated him. And they weren't afraid to show it.

Because if they all obeyed his every word or cowered around him, even simply ignored him and went out of there way to avoid him, it would only raise warning bells. Especially after that infernals hats warning!

So, with a limp and a couple of bruises, Tom Riddle entered his first class in over fifty years. Transfiguration with Proffessor Minerva McGonagall.

And there, as everyone else wondered about where the teacher was, sat an orange brown tabby cat on the desk. 'So we meet again. Not surprising to see you using the same old trick. You used to think it was rather funny before you met Dumbledore, but oh how he has a way of bringing out the worst in us, doesn't the old man?' he thought.

Taking a seat in the back of the class, Tom waited for her to transform. A red-headed child in the front of the room actually had the nerve to ask where the old bat was! Tom knew it had to be a Weasley. Always charging ahead without thinking about the results of their actions.

And then she was a Witch again, and the boy was stammering out an apology, trying to blame it on a dare by his older brothers.

Based on the cold glare she was givin him, McGonagall wasn't buying it. "Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley. Is there anything else you would care to add?" she asked. Not trusting his mouth the boy shook his head furiously.

"Mr. Potter!" she snapped, looking back at him. Damn! He was grinning. "Do you find the situation funny, Mr. Potter?" she demanded.

Respond like a Slytherin? Rush recklessly ahead into the trap? Deny it altogether?

"Ofcourse I do. You seemed to find it rather funny yourself fifty years ago." he stated, referring to her transformation. For a moment she froze, but then her demeanor became even colder towards him than it had the Weasley boy.

"And how, may I ask, do you know anything about myself from half a century before, Mr. Potter?" she demanded in a dangerously soft tone.

"You seem to forget I was held at Malfoy Mannor for three days. Two of which I was Imperiused to obey their every command." Tom responded in an equally soft tone. "I believe the senior Malfoy had a crush on you at one time in his youth." he added, knowing _that_ would wreck havoc with his reputation or at the least earn Draco here a good taunting by his fellow housemates.

McGonagall frowned but her voice was noticably warmer. "Yes, so I had. Never the less you should show some better respect towards your teachers than to state facts that may or may not be false, Mr. Potter." she said. "Now if we are done here, let us move onto the topic at hand: Transfiguration." she added to the class at large.

ssssssssss

Tom left the class looking like an above average student. He wasn't about to look stupid, that was for sure! But ofcourse turning his sliver of wood to a pure silver needle on the first try might have looked a little _too_ obvious he had great talent.

It was on his third try he succeeded.

At any rate, he was now on his way to his next class, Charms. It felt odd to be going through seven years of magical learning again, even for him, but... well. Things would be progressing very fast. He doubted the school would still be standing as Hogwarts by the third year, at most

As he entered the classroom he felt a stab of annoyance. 'All this time you had the Elderwand, and I could have been its master had I only known. Instead I was off galavanting about the world, creating Horcruxes and building up power through rituals that would have been meaningless if I only knew.' he thought.

Pushing his thoughts on such things aside he took a seat again at the back of the class. Draco Malfoy purposefully sat beside him, intent on getting some form of revenge.

"Behave yourself, young Draco. I would not want to waste your obvious talent by ending your life here and now." Tom told him in a neutral tone, reading his thoughts with just a glance at the body posture and emotions on his face.

Draco scowled deeper. "How do you keep doing that!" he said loudly.

Attracting the attention of the entire class.

"Swish and flick, Mr. Malfoy, swish and _flick_!" Flitwick exclaimed, promptly doing so while adding "_Wingardium Leviosa_!" and making the feather on his desk shoot to the top of the class.

Flushing with embarrassment, Draco slumped down into his seat. Tom surpressed a savage grin.

ssssssssss

While everyone else was fast falling asleep to Proffessor Binns droning voice in History of Magic, Tom noticed a bushy haired Witch hanging on his every word attentively. 'The only kink in my otherwise perfect plans.' he frowned.

Pointing the Elderwand behind her back he murmured a sleeping spell and waited the ten seconds it took to activate. He was kept waiting an additional five as she briefly fought it off.

With a shrugg, he aimed it around himself in a wide circle and repeated the words, insuring no one was faking it. When at last he was satisfied they were out of it, Tom slipped out of the class with out a second glance and quickly made his way down to a certain second floor bathroom.

Just before he entered it he narrowed his eyes and threw out his left hand, grasping something previously invisible to normal sight.

With a squeek an ugly brown house elf appeared. "Why are you following me?" Tom asked in annoyance. The elf shook its head furiously and tried to pull away, needing air.

Tom increased his grip. "If you fail to report to Dumbledore on time he'll be suspictious. If you show up with bruise marks he'll be suspictious. If you don't show up at all he'll be suspictious. Well damn! Guess I'm fucked if I do and fucked if I don't." he shrugged.

"You'll be following me now." he added, pushing the door open. Moaning Myrtle was wailing away as usual, but stopped as Tom entered with the wimpering house elf.

"Whos dare!?" she demanded. "Harry Potter." he responded seriously. She pushed through her closed door a moment later, frowning.

"You aren't even a girl! Whats a boy doing in here!?" she shouted. "The elf here informed me Slytherins beast was locked in this room somewhere. The one that killed you fifty years ago." Tom responded.

"Liar!" she accused. "You doubt me?" he asked, hissing _open_ in parselmouth. The sink with the small snake inscription sunk back into the wall and a slimy tunnel leading down was revealed. Myrtle looked back and forth in confusion.

"You want revenge on the beast, don't you? Well, with the elfs help I'm going to kill it. I'm sure you could prove a great distraction, and the headmaster would obviously reward you for it."

Myrtle stared at him distrustingly.

"Would I lie to you? I'm the savior of the Wizarding World! I'm only here to do my duty in protecting the people." he stated flatly.

Still watching him with suspiction Myrtle descended down the tunnel first. Tom, holding the now unconscious but still living elf by the throat, followed.

ssssssssss

_Salazar, greatest of the Hogwarts Four!_ Tom called out in parseltongue. _Open for your last son!_ The mouth of the giant statue representing Salazar Slytherin slowly opened and from within the deep and dark chasm it revealed a powerful hissing erupted.

Myrtle, most reluctantly, was waiting near its base as Tom had instructed, so as to prove to be a distraction for the few moments it would take he and the elf to slay it. He had explained away the elfs fainting due to nerves and that he would revive it when the time came, swearing to do so on his magic.

Satisfied with that for the moment, she was still waiting when the large King of all serpents descended from its prison with a massive thump.

Closing his eyes Tom hissed rapidly to it. _Stare at the girl and I promise you much feasting to do over the next years, my pet. Tom Riddle has returned._

The Basilisk slowly opened its deep yellow eyes and stared directly into Myrtles. With a scream halfway escaping her the ghost turned ash-gray and fell onto her back, floating inchs above the ground and petrified.

Throwing the still-out-of-it elf before the Basilisk, Tom focused on the small creature and cast "_Ennervate_." almost lazily. His face stretched itself into a demented grin as the creature died on the spot, looking up into those deadly yellow eyes.

With that done, the Basilisk closed its eyes and slithered closer to where Toms voice had come from. _Very good, my pet. Any student not of pure blood is yours. I want you to spare none._ he commanded.

ssssssssss

Tom returned from the Chamber of Secrets just as the rest of the class was emerging sleepily from History of Magic.

It was time to break for Lunch, but Tom had other things to do now that the Basilisk was free to roam at night. A Notice-Me-Not charm had been placed upon the open hole to the tunnel.

Heading up to the seventh floor coridor, Tom was already Disillusioned by the time he passed back and forth before a certain stretch of blank wall three times, reciting the command 'Show me a place to hide things.'.

With the third passing a door appeared and he entered, making sure to shut it afterwards.

It only took a minute for him to locate what he sought. "And here you are again, my precious diadem." Tom spoke to it softly. It felt cold in his hands, but he smiled down at it. "Even a horcrux should recognize its masters magic, if not the flesh and blood of his form." Tom chided it like a child.

Slipping it into his robes, Tom looked around at the rest of the junk in the amazing room. "How foolish I was to believe no one else would ever discover this room. It is by sheer luck my horcrux has survived. I will not be making the mistake of leaving another in here again." he murmured in annoyance.

Walking out of the room he waited for the door to close before thinking a new set of words. 'Show me a room to contain Fiendfyre.' and on his third passing of it, a door appeared. With a savage grin Tom pushed it open and looked around.

A scorch-blackened room appeared. In the center of it sat a rough stone basin. Pulling out the slightly quivering diadem Tom placed it in the center with reluctance. "Your magic can not effect me for long, precious diadem. Your usefullness to Lord Voldemort has reached its end." he whispered softly to it, almost as though to a lover.

With that he pulled out the Elderwand and cast the most power and dark of fire spells in existence. The scream of one piece to Voldemorts soul being destroyed shook the small, almost cramped stone walls as the black-purple flames danced about atop the diadem.

And as before, Tom Riddle left the scene behind, knowing something or someone would deal with it eventually. And sure enough, the room did its job once the door was closed, and Tom Riddle was now one step closer to eliminating his originals soul from this world forever.


	4. Chapter 4

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption._  
__**Chapter Four:**__ First meetings of the same soul._

Tom entered his last class of the day, Defense against the Dark-arts just in time. Instantly he felt a chill run down his spine as his eyes fell upon the teacher, Professor Quirrel.

'What the hell was that?' he hissed mentally, recoiling at the same time Quirrel himself did. Both looked up at one another and, as they locked eyes, felt a connection.

"Professor?" asked one student. "Are you okay?" she added. "O-oh yes.. f-f-fine.." he stammered, breaking the contact and looking at her. With a quick glance at Tom he returned his attention to the overall class and began reading from the book in his hand.

sssssssss

Tom waited afterclass until all the other students had left. Once they were out he repeated the same process of sealing the door and ensuring privacy was intact.

Quirrel looked up from his papers in surprise. "Mr. P-p-potter?" he questioned with the usual stammer.

"Drop the act. I can feel something is wrong with you." Tom demanded, raising both wands. Quirrels face looked panicked. "W-what a-a-are you d-doing?" he shouted, waiting to see if anyone would come.

"No one can hear you; I made sure of that. Tell me or I'll extract the infomation forcefully." he threatened.

After a few moments more of the terrified Professor act, Quirrel stood up right and drew out his own wand in an instant. "Perpective, boy. But I have years more experiance then you do. Not to mention my _other_ advantage." he paused to laugh darkly for a moment or two.

"That is where you are wrong. _Crucio_!" Tom responded, firing the curse from both wands. Quirrels wand moved furiously and a desk leapt to his defence, barely catching the double curse.

"You dare risk the Unforgivables Potter? I must say I'm impressed." he taunted, whispering his own spell work afterwards.

Tom scowled. With a flourish a single large anaconda was conjured slightly behind the older Wizard, and it leapt at once, wrapping around his legs in an instant but working its way up further as well.

Quirrel yelped at the painful squeezing but quickly transfigured it into a large chain, which fell to the ground around his body briefly before shooting across the room at Tom. He sidestepped and was about to fire off another curse when a low, cold voice hissed from behind the Professor.

"_Halt, Quirinus_." Quirrel ducked down beneath his desk, obeying but ready to begin again if Tom continued.

With a frown Tom approached cautiously. "_Potter. Stow your wands away, boy.. or I shall do it for you._" the chilling voice commanded.

To his surprise, Tom felt his limbs responding on their own, entirely against his will, and each wand was returned to its holster. "_Show him, Quirinus._" the same voice ordered. Quirrel hesitated breifly but screamed as apparent pain shot through him for his slowness.

Standing upright immediatly he unwrapped the purple turban from around his head and slowly turned so his back was to Tom.

He felt his breath catch as a face emerged from the back of the older Wizards skull. Snakelike and eyes narrowed, the face glared at him. "_As Quirinus said, very perceptive of you, boy. I can only wonder how you survived that accursed night... but your time has come to an end. I will finally kill the Boy-who-lived and prove the Prophecy wrong..._" he hissed.

Tom felt another chill race down his body. Why had he put his wands away? Why wasn't his body responding to his commands, to draw them back out again even as he put together that this had to be the original, the real Voldemort.

That thought did not escape un-noticed. The face flinched and then hardened, and Tom felt the piercing stab of Leglimency dive into his mind. It combatted his Occlumency shields briefly before drawing away, apparently unable to break through them.

"_Tell me, boy... tell me all you know._" Voldemort demanded. Once more Tom felt his body disregarding his own orders. "I am not Harry Potter, but Tom Marvolo Riddle, the fragment of your soul lodged within the baby ten years ago given control." he began.

sssssssss

By the time Tom had finished, Voldemort was bristling in fury. "_You have destroyed my diadem horcrux, intending to no doubt hunt down the others and kill me when I had returned to a living body..._" he hissed slowly.

Tom struggled to gain control over himself again, but found it futile.

"_I will end you now, traitorius fragment, by your very own hand! Use the Killing Curse on yourself!_" he ordered. Tom drew the Elderwand again and aimed it at his head, drawing in a breath for the darkest of curses.

"_Avada_--" the door was blown off its hinges, slamming into the back of Tom and throwing his wand from his hand as well as sending him flying.

Voldemort hissed again and Quirrel spun around, wand in hand, but was paralysed and dumbstruck.

Albus Dumbledore strode into the room with Severus Snape at his side. "Confiscate his wands." Dumbledore ordered.

Snape stepped forward at a quick stride and tore the wand out of Quirrels limp hand then walked over to Tom, kicking him over onto his back and repeating the spells Dumbledore had done to paralyse Quirrel. He did a quick once-over and felt the hidden wand strapped to his right wrist. He pried it out with a bit of difficulty but it flew out of his grip, landing on the floor and rolling beneath a desk.

He glared at Tom as he made his way over to it, bending down and retrieving not just the normal wand Tom used, but by chance the Elderwand as well. He frowned at the abnormal power he felt from the wand and slipped it into his robes while facing away from Dumbledore.

"Very good, Severus. If you would, please fetch a vial of Veritaserum. I believe Quirinus and Mr. Potter are in need of much questioning." Dumbledore requested. Snape nodded his head, stepping out of the destroyed doorway and heading down to his dungeons.

Tom felt a sick feeling of anxious energy begin to form in the pit of his stomach. How the hell did this happen to him? It only took a few moments to figure it out. 'Snape will die in the most tortured manner I can impose upon him when I escape from this!' he growled mentally.

sssssssss

Tom was blindfolded, gagged, and bound to a chair in the deepest levels of the Ministry of Magic. "We are here to begin the trial of Harry James Tom Marvolo Riddle Potter, and Quirinus Quirrel." a Witchs voice boomed.

"The former is charged with use of the Unforgivables upon Lucius Malfoy, Senior, who will be released from Azkaban following this trial, as well as Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley his muggle relatives, in addition to an un-named seventh year Slytherin student." she read out from a sheet of paper.

"The latter is charged with the use of black magics to raise and house the remnants of He-who-must-not-be-named's soul, in addition to plotting to create a new body to give to said beings soul following." she continued.

A hushed whisper had spread through out the entire court at the words read about their supposed savior, but they screamed in abject horror when Quirrels actions were read aloud.

"Give him to the Dementors!" a handful of Wizards yelled. That was heartily agreed to by the majority of the others, but the Witchs voice cut them off as she called for order in the court.

"Do either of the accused have anything to declare in their name?" she demanded. "Nod or shake your head." she added after a moment.

Seething, Tom tried yet again to pull himself away from the chains wrapped tightly around his arms, but to no success. He heard Quirrel shaking and trying to do so aswell.

"Very well. The sentence is guilty on all charges. As Mr. Potter is currently under aged, he will be held at Azkaban indeffintely." she paused for a moment, and the rest of the court had suddenly grown quiet as well, waiting to hear what would happen to Quirrel.

"Quirinus Quirrel will be executed immediatly by beheading." she stated. Many protested this, demanding the Kiss, but she would not grant it. "Take Mr. Potter to his permanent home." she ordered.

sssssssss

Tom opened his eyes and found himself staring at a bleak gray wall. Sitting across from him on the floor was a very pale woman, black hair long and mangy, once-beautiful face now gaunt and dead looking from ten years in this prison. Her robes, torn and battered, revealed the very feminine form beneath, even if it was very thin from practically starving in here.

He looked to his side and noticed a third companion to their lovely little cell. A man with equally long and mangy hair, gaunt face, and almost worthless robes, staring at him in absolute disbelief.

"Harry?" the man rasped after nearly a minute. "Harry Potter?" the woman raised her head from looking at the floor and a manical smile appeared. "Did you.. say Potter, dear cousin?" she asked in a surprisingly high-pitched voice.

The man looked at her sharply. "If you lay one finger on him..." he growled, leaning towards her. "You'll what... bite me?" she responded, staring at Tom like a piece of fresh meat.

"I'll do that and more, you cold hearted bitch.." he threatened, standing up slowly. Bella smiled. "You'll fall asleep sometime, Black. You can't watch him all the time." she responded, looking hungerilly at Tom.

Had Tom actually been listioning to a word of their coversation he might have done something about that, but he had already focused on his plans and how this could effect them. 'If Fudge does his orders, and the Basilisk begins its nightly feasting... I should be free within the month.'

sssssssss

At Hogwarts, things were a little more chaotic. "I can't understand where this could have happened! The Prophecy, it should have ensured the boy was firmly in the Light, but this... does it mean he'll vanquish Voldemort only to become the next Darklord in his place?" Dumbledore demanded, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

The owl from Mrs. Figg had arrived just minutes before Severus burst into his office, carrying a map of Hogwarts he had confiscated from the Weasley Twins.

After a daring story that he still did not quite believe, he and Severus had rushed to the Defense classroom only to find it locked.

And after breaking the door down, there Voldemorts face stared out darkly from the back of poor Quirinusses head.

It was enough. Between the map, Severus tail, and now this... Dumbledore did not hesitate to have the two of them hauled before the Ministry for an official hearing.

It was only a good thing that this occured at the end of the first day. Merlin only knew what might have happened if the boy had remained at school any longer!

Now he was dealing with the multiple questions of the other Professors. Snape was glaring icily at any of them that made eyecontact.

"Harry Potter killed his relatives and used magic to place the blame on another. But that is the least of our worrys. The boy is now housing a fragment of Voldemorts soul, nourishing it and giving it strength. I believe that in enough time he will become the next Darklord." Dumbledore said in a tired voice.

Once the brief outrage died down he continued. "I also must confess to withholding knowledge pertaining to Harry and the Potters deaths ten years ago.. concerning a certain Prophecy."


	5. Chapter 5

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption._  
__**Chapter Five:**__ Freedom revoked._

Tom opened his eyes slowly as dawn broke over the pitch-black prison of Azkaban. The usually chilling cell he, Sirius Black, and Bellatrix Lestrange inhabitated was surprisingly warm.

Speaking of them...

Sirius looked more haunted this morning than the last ten years combined could bring upon him. Bellatrix, on the other hand, had a look of facination yet mingled worry, and ofcourse hunger beneath it.

A dementor gliding by paused and turned to face them, leaning closer until they could hear its rattling breath. "I have such darkness within me you would perish trying to bring it to the surface." Tom turned to face it as well, eyes cold and hard, though his voice was that same dangeriously soft tone.

"Come closer if you dare try me." he added, staring up its hood to where the eyes should be. The dementor could feel no fear radiating from this one, unlike the other prisoners, and it was confused by this.

"Begone if you have nothing to do for me." he ordered it, looking away and back at the cold stone wall. The dementor recognized the tone of dismissal. It felt out of place from one of _them_.

Leaning further into the cell, the dementor reached a scabbed hand through the barriors towards him. Tom smiled a grim smile and approached it without caution. "You want to test me? Then here... raise the darkness from my soul, dementor, and let us see which will survive the onslaught!" he growled, shifting emotionally and dropping all Occlumency shields as he attempted Legilimency.

No Wizard or Witch had ever willingly done such a thing before, to try and dive into the mind of the soul sucking dementors.

In an instant a thousand nightmarish memorys rushed to the forefront of Toms mind and was shared with the creature, torturing and killing, hellish rituals performed, tearing his soul to form a Horcrux over and over again...

The aura of black magic briefly shimmered into sight around his body as he stared sharply into its dull, dead eyes.  
The magic rushed through Tom and into the dementor as the memorys continued, forcing its way in and supercharging the other.

Humans have never heard a dementor scream in anguish or pain before, only annoyance from a Patronus charm as they are repelled. No dementor has ever heard one of its breathren do so, either.

Until today.

sssssssss

Dumbledore descended from the headmasters office down the circling flight of stairs and emerged before the stone gargoyle that guarded it.

He found himself staring at a hall of blood. Blood on the walls. Blood on the pictures. Blood on the floor, ceiling, and statues.

The entire hall was painted red with it, and after only a moment of frozen horror, he entered his animagus form and soared rapidly along to the Greathall, fearing what he would find there...

It was destroyed.

Spell damage was clear as some kind of battle seemed to have occured overnight. Only a few bodys lined it, but they were mostly teachers. One half-giant in perticular was seated in the headmasters chair, bent over the table and pale skin chaulk white from bloodloss.

Every now and than his attached arm twitched briefly.

Dumbledore felt something within him snap; break; falter. A message had been written in the blood of students or teachers, or both, and it was painted on the walls behind the teachers table.

"Voldemort sends his regards, Albus Dumbledore." it read. Dumbledore could do little but return to his Wizard form and lean back against the doorway, dumbstruck and, for now, broken.

sssssssss

Tom leaned against the cells barrier, panting and hating himself for it. In his left hand a burnt black cloth was tightly clenched. Its owner no longer had any need for it.

Tom Riddle was the first living human to successfully kill a dementor in over a thousand years.

The original was Merlin.

This deed did not come without its costs, however. Toms entire magical core had been drained to virtually nothing over the course of the five minute struggle as he overloaded the dementors abillity to absorb.

He was close to being sick, and the wandless warming charm he had cast the night before was quickly fading to nothing, allowing the bone-piercing chill to soak into his body once more.

Now, virtually a squib for the next few weeks, Tom slid down to his knees. The battered black cloth of the dementor, torn from its sizzling corpse as it was burned to ash from the intense magical energys rushing into its body, had slid through after Tom grasped onto it to keep from falling backwards as he was drained, fatigue rushing up to meet him.

Now he allowed it to drag him into what was gaurenteed to be a fitful unconsciousness.

Sirius, loath as he was to approach the Boy-who-lived after last nights late revelations, still felt an attachment to him as the only living flesh and blood of Lily and James potter. Even if Harry no longer existed.

But Bellatrix reached him first. She leaned down and pulled his exhausted frame forward, a terrifying grin stretching her lips. "My poor darklord.. " she whispered, leaning down and kissing him.

He would have flayed her alive had he been conscious to.

Sirius, on the other hand, happened to be for him. Bellatrixs right arm was embraced in his left hand and he dragged her away. "Leave him alone, you demented bitch." he growled. She tore her arm free and scowled. "What do you care, Black? You heard him; why don't you kill him now?" she responded, that same grin appearing on her face.

Sirius eyes hardened even as his face fell. He looked back to Toms body and shuddered. "I knew you couldn't do it. He's mine now, Black, and you'll never see your precious itty bitty Potter again!" she cackled.

sssssssss

Azkaban Prison, 11:39 PM the previous night.  
Tom stood up and turned to face both Sirius and Bellatrix. "I may not have a wand now, but I am still very much capable of performing magic. If you dare try to defile my form in anyway as I sleep, Bella, I will dissect you. The same to you, Black." he stated in a soft tone of absolute finallity.

Sirius looked incredious at the statement but Bellatrix started laughing. "Tell me, Bella, do you know why they put an eleven year old in Azkaban?" Tom questioned as he approached her, a cold fire glinting in his eyes.

She stopped laughing and reached for the sharpened shaft of wood she had smuggled inside ten years before, carefully concealed beneath her robes now.

Tom smiled ferally at her as she lunged a moment later, bringing it up to strike at him. In an instant she was knocked backwards into the wall by a simple wandless banishing spell, throwing her head into the harsh stone wall. He caught the piece of wood as it flew from her hand and snapped it in half.

"They put an eleven year old in Azkaban because he comitted a crime worthy of it, Bella. The Unforgivables are aptly named by the foolish Ministry Wizards running this government, but they will fall in due time." he told her.

"Harry Potter died one year ago. I was born that night, and I intend to erase this world as we know it. Wizards and Witchs will rule over the muggle beasts as we should by right of blood purity. Already I have set into motion things as they were meant to be, and no bloody prison will hold me for long! Mark my words, Bella, Black, I will bring down those responsible for putting me here." his voice had descended into a low hiss of hatrid.

"My loyal Death Eaters will return to me and together we will end the secrecy our race has forced itself to hide behind." he added, looking into her eyes and, a moment later, forcing his way inside.

By the time he was done she was practically foaming at the mouth. Crawling forward on her hands and knees, she kissed the hem of his robes with a look of fear and aduration. "My lord..." she said pitifully. "Forgive my hast actions..!" she begged.

Tom looked down at her caculatingly. "In time, Bella, in time."

sssssssss

Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, 12 noon the following day.  
It took nearly half an hour before his shock wore off and Albus Dumbledore felt something other than abject horror. By that time the screams of the surviving students had begun.

He felt a cold fury burn into life in the pit of his stomach. He spun on his heel and, with a flourish of his wand, sealed the Greathall and began herding the students outside.

"ATTENTION!" his voice boomed over the gathered crowd, far smaller now than it was yesterday.

"This school has been attacked by means unknown, and it seems apparent to me that only a handful of the students have survived!" he began. "I suspect Voldemort is behind this, a form of revenge for yesterdays actions." he continued.

"As I was to annouce today, our former Defence Professor was housing the remnant of Voldemorts soul through means of the darkest of black magics, and he was taken to a closed off trial, where he was found guility and executed!" he paused a moment. The crowd was dead silent.

"Harry Potter was also found guilty. He was privately sorted into Slytherin early yesterday morning, after a terrible ordeal pertaining to Mr. Malfoy senior.. but that was a mere deception. Mr. Potter has been envolved in equally dark magics, and his soul has become terribly tainted." Dumbledore again paused, struggling to proceed even as he knew it must be done.

"He used the Unforgiveables against Mr. Malfoy in order to throw us off of his trail, but he made a vital mistake yesterday: he confided his plans in Professor Snape, who, at great personal risk, came to and informed me of what was going on. Mr. Potter has been sentanced to life in Azkaban for his crimes." Dumbledore might have sighed yesterday, but after the bloody massicre that had taken place somewhere through out the night, he was changed.

"It is my belief that Voldemort has managed to take over another Wizard or Witchs body in order to lead this attack against us so secretly, for he is one of the few students to explore virtually every inch of this grand school over the course of his seven years here..."

"I tell you this because I have no other choice but to send you home and inform the board of governors about this incident. It is likely Hogwarts will never open again, and I strongly encourage you to stay away from the foreign school of Durmstrang." he closed his eyes as he said this, feeling as though a knife had pierced his heart.

"Of the surviving Professors, I ask that the heads of house ensure your students safely arive at Platform 9 ¾. Of the others, please follow me. I intend to go over every inch of this school and, if Voldemort or his agents are still in place waiting to finish their job, we shall see to it they meet there end on this day!" he finished with a harsh tone, eyes hard and lacking any trace of his trademark twinkle.

sssssssss

Ministry of Magic, 9 AM, three days following.  
Scrimgeor signed his name to the sheet of paper before him, the final signature needed. Hogwarts had been officially closed, though the ones behind the attack, if there were any beyond Voldemort himself, were never found.

The land was to be sold to the highest bidder in a closed auction for only the pureblood familys, who would have the option of demolishing the school in its entirity or keeping it around for tax purposes.

Or so the official bill stated, but underneath all of the complicated double-talk, whoever bought the land was free to do with it as they pleased.

One Severus Snape was the highest bidder.

But that was not the most important of the recent events, no. With Toms core drained so severely, all previous acts of semi-permanent magic, such as the Imperius, faded. Fudge was free.

He had immediatly attempted to inform the head of the Aurors about what had occured and promptly fallen dead at his feet by violating the terms of the Unbreakable Vow.

As such Auror Scrimgeor was elevated to temporary Minister status. "Don't like this one bit, you know." he scowled as he looked up at Snape today, handing the piece of paper back over. "Your opinion matters less to me than the former headmasters, Minister." Snape answered with a sneer.

"With all the manipulation of this organization I have little faith you will do any better than your predecessor." he stated, turning on his heel and exiting before Scrimgeor could respond directly, though he did call after him.

"Just you wait, boy, one miss-step, one violation to that contract of yours, and I'll have your ownership revoked over night!" he growled. Snape didn't acknowledge this in anyway.

sssssssss

Azkaban, 12 AM, four days later.  
Word travels fast through the Wizarding World. Even as far out as Azkaban. One week after the closing of Hogwarts, and Tom Riddle learned his plans had utterly fallen apart.

Fudge was dead, a traitor to the Unbreakable Vow. Hogwarts land now belonged to Severus Snape, who had betrayed him to Dumbledore. Hogwarts was going to be reopenned as a private school only for a select few pure bloods, after it was rebuilt to accomidate the smaller numbers.

And he, Tom, was now stuck in Azkaban indiffenitely because the only one who could have freed him was now dead.

Loath as he was to admit it, he had only himself to blame; by destroying that single dementor, he had used up nearly all of his magic, making him as powerful as a squib, even it it was temporary. He had figured himself invincible and was so sure he would be free shortly, that he did not stop to think about his actions until it was too late.

His magic would never return to its previous heights while trapped here, capable of succumbing to the power of the dementors, and he had only sped up his weakining process by draining the core...

"Damn you Albus Dumbledore!" his scream of rage was heard atleast two floors away.


	6. Chapter 6

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption.

_**Chapter Six**__: Three years and a blood ritual later._

September 1994  
Flicking open the Daily Prophet, Severus Snape looked through the current events. ' _Albus Dumbledore removed from the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump title revoked_. Cont. below'

He looked down, curious to see where this might be going. '_Former Headmaster of the original Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore, has been removed from the Wizengamot following a vote that took place tonight concerning the aging wizards mental stabillity. We were unable to get a direct statement from him, but one member, who has asked for their name to be withheld, provided us with the following: "Albus Dumbledore has done many great things in his lifetime, of this we can hold no doubt. What we do doubt is his judgement in recent times. Need I remind anyone about the scadal envolving a Mr. Potter? The Hogwarts Massacre the following night? Or the continued efforts to locate estemed members of our society and bring them into questioning by his vigilante group, the so called Order of the Phoenix? No, I believe we will all be much, much safer with Mr. Dumbledore off of the Wizengamot. Personally I think it time he take a nice, relaxed stay in St. Mungos until we can be assured of his mental stability, which has been, shall we say, in the bin ever since the previously listed events began."_

_'Quite a statement, is it not? In addtional, to ensure he does not attempt to put himself back onto the Wizengamot, the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeor, has revoked his title and authority of Supreme Mugwump. When asked about this, the Minister responded "Dumbledore clearly enjoys his power, and any attempt to remove him from it has met swift retribution, although all incidents have been handled by a third party we have recently come to know as the Order of the Phoenix. Connections between the two are quite numerous and the Aurors are indeed looking into the matter as we speak. If I were Dumbledore, I'd start looking into Mr. Ma.. excuse me, our un-named Wizengamot members statement about a stay in St. Mungos. Because if he is found directly linked to this organization, he will be spending a very long time in another magical confinement, Azkaban. The Ministry does not tolerate vigilantism."_ cont. page 2.'

Snape smiled thinly. "Very... interesting, shall I say?" he turned his attention to the next page to continue.

_'Certainly that is a very direct warning. But it does raise some questions, if Albus Dumbledores stability has been breaking down in his later years, what does this say about his recent actions? Have we thrown our saviour in Azkaban by mistake? Is Harry Potter wasting away on a deluded wizards command? We intend to look into matters and determine if the illegal trial held three years ago for Mr. Potter truly nessicary, or was he simply under the control of Quirinus Quirrel or even possesed by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at that time? Expect the results soon.'_

Snape lowered the papers as a knock came on his office door. "Who is it?" he asked lazily, drawing his wand. He still owed Albus a debt or two, and if the old codger expected him to cash in on them now, he was very mistaken. Afterall, letting them be passed onto Aberforth was in his best interest at this point. Things had been most cold between the former headmaster and himself in recent years.

"Draco Malfoy." a voice responded. "_Basilisk_." Snape stated softly, and the wall before his desk shifted, becoming a stone door. Draco struggled for several seconds with the weight before getting it open enough to slip in. "What brings you here so late, Draco?" Snape asked.

"Have you seen the morning prophet yet, sir?" he questioned in turn. Snape frowned. "There was little of interest in it." he responded. Draco muttered something and reached into his black and green robes, pulling out a still slightly warm folded paper. "My mistake, sir. I meant _tomorrows_ prophet. Father just flooed it over himself." Draco told him with a hint of smugness.

Snape resisted a sigh of annoyance and held out a hand. Draco promptly handed the paper over. Stretching it out and glancing at the front page he paused. '_Harry Potter and two Death Eaters broken out of Azkaban! Dementors aid in the process!_'

Snapes eyes widened and he flicked the paper open. _'At precisely midnight september 13th 1994, Harry James Potter, Bellatrix LeStranger, and Sirius Black were broken out of Azkaban prison by three other Death Eaters. For some reason, the Dementors have aided them in this process before fleeing from the prison in various directions. If anyone sees them, get inside and alert the Ministry to the location! More infomation will be avalible as it comes._'

ssssssssss

September 13th, 1994  
Tom found himself shackled at the wrist and ankle into a sitting position over a circle of runes in a bleak graveyard. A robed and hooded man, slightly tall with a hint of platinum blonde hair escaping from beneath, and carrying a bundle of white cloths, approached. Behind Tom a cauldron boiled. Bella and Sirius were nowhere in sight.

Toms robes were torn and battered, and his skin was a very pale white. Bone shown through the flesh quite easily, dark circles beneath his eyes, which had a sunken into the skull look to them. His hair was long and wirery. When he spoke, his voice was raspy.

"Voldemort.. the original." he spat. A couple of Death Eaters standing guard behind him looked at the bundle of cloths and the potter brat before them curiously. A hissing and high pitched voice answered. "Tommy Riddle, my wayward fragment! Atlast we meet again..."

The sound made the gathered Death Eaters in the graveyard shiver, save for the one holding the bundle, who merely cringed once before straightening back out. "Is the potion ready, Lucius??" the bundle demanded. "Nearly, my lord.. the boy will need to be fully submerged at the same time as you if we are to succeed." "So be it. Push him in headfirst, yet hold his feet above. Release just as I am entering!" he ordered the others.

Lucius nodded his head to the ones behind Tom. One undid the shackles keeping him in such a position and hefted him into the air in a spread eagle position, then summoned a purely silver dagger and slit each wrist. Tom hissed in pain, voice crossing over into parsel tongue for an instant as his blood dripped down onto the runes beneath his body.

After nearly thirty seconds his body was bound with robe and the cauldron lifted over the runes, then with a jerk of the wrist, Toms body inverted itself and dived down into the freezing potion below until only one ankle was held above the surface. "Hurry!" Voldemort hissed.

Lucius stepped forward in three quick strides and undid the bundle, leaving a scarred white mass, the same size as an infant, but with Voldemorts snake like face. The same runes beneath the cauldron were cut into his flesh with the same silver dagger above the surface of the potion, allowing his weak blood to flow out and drip down.

The blue liquid surface hissed to a boil on contact with the almost black blood coming from Voldemorts body. Cautiously Lucius lowered his master into the liquid and motioned at the same time for the other Death Eater to release the boys ankle.

Voldemorts body submerged just before the last of Toms foot.

"Blood of the enemy, unwillingly taken. Blood of the master, consciously given." holding out his left hand over the surface, Lucius was about to cut off his own hand when the potion rapidly began to glow and change from blue to a silverish hue as the runes beneath it began to glow. Its surface was rapidly boiling, and the heat it emitted made Lucius draw his hand back in pain.

A sharp hissing came from behind as Nagini slithered up to the cauldron, drawn forward almost unconsciously by the potion and the black magic being performed. The horcrux rose up and stared at the boiling surface, weaving its head back and forth as the silver surface began to calm and change to a pale crimson once the runes stoped glowing.

"What just happened?" One of the other Death Eaters asked. "I.. I have failed." Lucius whispered, staring at the calm surface.

A moment later, however, a hand pushed up from beneath, scars where runes once were lining it, grasping onto the edge of the cauldron. An arm and shoulder followed, then a head, neck, and the rest of the body. More of the same runes lined the figures body just as they had on the baby Voldemorts.

When he turned to look at Lucius and the others, his eyes were an almost black-emerald, and a jagged lightning bolt scar lighted his forehead with a dim glow. All other features of Harry James Potter were gone aside from those. The rest held Tom Riddles looks.

The Death Eaters looked at the form in silent awe. When he spoke, his voice was soft and cold. "My wand, Lucius." he commanded. Lucius quickly dove into his robes and dug it out, handing the worn wand over quickly. Once it had touch his finger tips he looked it over curiously.

"It has been nigh on fourteen years since I last held this wand... I feel out of touch with it, almost. Infact, it feels nearly as good.. as its Holly equal." with a flick of his wrist a wave of raw magic flowed from the wand around his body, knocking the others to the ground.

Nagini hissed at him and he hissed right back, leveling his wand on it. "_Avada Kedavra!_" the green killing curse shot at the snake and smashed right into the edge of its trianguler head as it tried to turn and flee. Lucius raised a hand to his head in pain as the words just spoken clicked into place.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" he shouted in panic, bringing his wand up, but he was too slow. Another wave of raw magic shot out and knocked it from his hand, tearing the wand apart from the core out and rendering it useless, killing the curse on the tip of escaping.

"_Muffliato_. I am dissapointed in you, Lucius." stepping free of the quickly dulling potion, black robes formed around his body. "You almost killed me. However..." he bound Lucius body in chains, gagged him, and floated him into the air. "You ensured the demise of the original Voldemorts body. I am one step closer to being the only Voldemort in existence." he stated quietly with a smile. "For this, you shall be rewarded. A quick death instead of the torture I have had planned for you over these last three years."

Lucius eyes widened and he struggled. "Oh dear, do you intend to break free or fight? Do you wish to be slowly poisoned and digested within the belly of my basilisk? I believe I can arrange for that, Lucius." the Malfoy head shook his head rapidly. "Yes, I suppose you have a point. I can not risk you telling the others the truth. Instead I shall give you some time to retire in peace.. _Crucio!_" Lucius arched his body in terrible pain, screaming silently.

For close to ten minutes he kept this up until white foam was escaping from around the gag. "Well, well, I can not have you choking on your own spittle." he said, banishing the gag and scourgifying his mouth. Lucius barely flinched. "Oh, some intelligence left? _Crucio_!!" This time the curse was kept up until Lucius mind snapped entirely, rendering him into the same condition as the Longbottoms.

With a content smile on his face Tom finally turned to the others. "Return Lucius to his proper clothing and ensure he is given a permanent home within St. Mungos." he ordered them. The two who had moved the cauldron and such hastily nodded their heads and dragged Lucius off, apparating away once past the wards.

Tom turned his attention on the now black potion. "Your time is coming, Original." he stated softly, banishing the contents and revealing the presince of the smoke-like, snake-faced Voldemort that had possessed Quirrel. Its shelf-life had been used up keeping the phantasm restrained.

Instantly it rose to the air, glaring violently at Tom. "Now there are three, Original. I have slain Nagini, whose horcrux I could feel as soon as she slithered up. I have burned the Diary, as well as the Diadem, three years ago. Can you find them before I? Unlikely." he taunted the phantasm.

Voldemort hissed at him before rising up into the air and gliding off towards the darkness. Tom banished the cauldron and set about protecting the runes engraved in the ground. He now held all the knowledge Voldemort did. If anyone harmed this set of runes, the body he now held inplace of Voldemort having it would fall apart, leaving him in the same condition as the original himself currently was. Tom would not allow that to happen.

ssssssssss

Dumbledore stood at the head of a table in Grimmauld Place. Around him were multiple wizards and witchs, including a few of the discarded former teachers from the original Hogwarts. "I fear this is the last time we can hold such a meeting. Considering the ministers recent statements, it is time I allowed another to step forward as head of the Order of the Phoenix. I must take a leave of absince from England for the time being in preparation for a journey I had hoped to undergo with Harry Potter... but that is no longer an option.." he paused and sighed wearily.

"I know for a fact that Harry Potter is no more. I know this because I know how Voldemort has kept himself from crossing over into deaths embrace for all these years. And the same method that he has applied, more than once, was done to Harry when he recieved that cursed scar." he paused as Moody stood up.

"What are you going to be doing about this, then, Albus?" "I intend to track down the locations and destroy that which is preserving Voldemorts soul in this world. When the time comes Harry himself is also housing that which is preserving Voldemort. But he is no longer Harry. That black magic has corrupted him into a secondary Voldemort, if you will, in essence. He must die to exterminate both."

This raised some slight disagreement, mostly from Lupin, but otherwise no one argued. "This task will be made all the more difficult because Harry Potter, Bellatrix LeStrange, and Sirius Black have just been broken out of Azkaban at 12 midnight. Supposedly Death Eaters have done this, and the Dementors had fled their assigned task."


	7. Chapter 7

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption.

_**Chapter Seven: Welcome to the Gaunt Shack.  
**_

Tom settled back into a chair inside of the Gaunt Shack. The place was filled with the remnants of dark magic. He felt right at home. In his hands a small ring reflected the flickering light of a fire. He could feel the pull of the horcrux, of another piece of the Originals soul, whispering its want, its need to be freed and reunited, to become whole again.

Much like with the diadem, its magical effect sapped at his mental restraints, lowering them. He was sorely tempted to slip the ring onto his left hand, but faught it off. Carefully placing the object onto a summoned table beside him, Tom stood up.

"For now you will rest here, brother of my soul. I will return in due time to finish you. For now I have more pressing matters to attend to..." he trailed off, dark emerald eyes lingering on it longer than he would normally prefer, but atlast pulled away.

Stepping from the table he swiftly made his way out of the bleak living room and into the kitchen where two people were currently tied up. One was Sirius Black. The other, Bellatrix LeStrange. Tom slipped his wand down into his hand as he looked the duo over.

"For three years, we were cellmates. It is ironic that the public have labeled you a Death Eater, Black, when it was your dear brother Regulus whom I once held under my command." he said softly, pausing just inside the doorway. Sirius bristled and struggled against his bonds. Turning away Tom looked at Bellatrix with all hints of amusement at taunting Sirius vanishing.

His eyes became colder, more unforgiving again. "And my dearest Bella..." he paused. "Apparently you have lost your respect for your master." he stated in a soft tone. "Were it not for cousin Black, my hosts body would have been violated long before this point." he stepped inside and cut off the ropes binding her form.

Bella quickly got onto her knees, groveling for forgiveness. Tom denied her this. "Many punishments would fit your actions. But I have one in mind that should serve you well." he leaned down and grabbed a fist full of her hair, dragging her up. He severed the bindings on Sirius as well a moment later.

"You have earned your right to this choice, Black, many times over. Take the Dark Mark and join my cause or die. I do not wish to waste the obvious talent you squandered fighting for _Dumbledore_!" he spat the elder wizards name in disgust.

Sirius looked up at Toms body, a recognizing the scar and eyes as being Harrys, but knowing this was Voldemort. It left him torn. "Is... does... Harry live... at all?" he demanded, slowly and weakly pushing up onto his feet, having to use the stove at his back for support.

Tom considered it. "His body has become one with my own. And I have taken much of his soul into my own in the process. However," he paused and raised a hand to the scar on his forehead, tapping it lightly with one finger. "There still resides a fragment of the boy in my essence." he finished.

"While I live, as does Potter. But make no mistake, Black, his existence is one of constant misery... as was my own for nearly ten years. Now make your choice." he demanded.

Sirius shoulders slumped. He had no choice in this matter: if he died now he could rejoin James, and Lily. But he had to get news of this to Dumbledore.. if the old man would even believe him. Tom smiled, seeing the decision in Sirius eyes. He raised his wand.

ssssssssss

Dumbledore apparated just outside of Little Hangleton with a loud crack, crouching down low as he tugged a certain invisibility cloak out of a pocket. With the item thrown over his body, fully concealing him in the process, he drew his wand and softly approached the Gaunt Shack.

For three years now he had been putting more effort into figuring out the mystery behind Voldemorts continued existence upon the mortal coil, his survival when by all rights he should have been dead.

The few questions he had been able to drag from the body Voldemort had taken over, of the poor Potter child, had not done much to help. Despite veritaserum, apparently somekind of whispered command from Quirrel only a few moments later had him answering in the langauge of the snakes, Parseltongue.

It has been a long and painstaking journey leading up to this night, this moment. And even now he was still having doubts that even Voldemort would dare tear his soul so many times.

But all troubled thoughts he had were put aside as an agonized scream rent the air, trailing off abruptly. Dumbledore picked up his pace, rich plume colored robes swaying with every movement. He stopped before the doorway and began feeling for the magical signatures left behind by traps.

Nothing armed the door, and with a swift _alohamora _pushed it open and stepped inside. The door swung open wide with a creak, and for several moments he waited. Suddenly he felt wards arising around him. 'Anti-apparation and anti-portkey.' he assumed, stepping out of the doorway and to the side to avoid any direct spells that might be aimed for the front door.

As such he did not notice that the wards were _not_ anti-apparation or anti-portkey until he had triggered the first trap by stepping before a rather ugly and derelict cobra statue. A sudden bolt of green light shot from the cobras open mouth, forcing Dumbledore to raise a hasty _protego_ to deflect it. To his surprise it sank right into his shield and vanished.

Two more bolts of light shot from other snake statues around the room, and Dumbledore kept his shield up, half-expecting it to falter or react to the bolts. The first sank into the protego with no ill-effects, but the second passed right through as though it wasn't there.

It grazed Dumbledores left hand as he drew back and away from it, burning through his flesh like acid. With a murmured diagonistics spell the former headmaster grimmaced and raised his wand, forcing out the nessicary spell, "_Diffindo_!" Just beneath the wrist bone and flesh severed, breaking the cursed poison starting to work its way through his hand towards the rest of the body.

It dropped to the floor with a splat, allowing blood to ooze out, while his wrist gushed with the fluid of life. Dumbledores teeth ground against one another as he murmured another spell through the haze of pain, pressing his wand just against the wound.

On contact silver fluid seemed to be emitted, rushing out of his wand tip and not only sealing the wound, but forming an entirely new hand. When the process completed itself mere seconds later, Dumbledore chose not to take the time to properally ensure his new hand was in working order.

He had far more dire problems to deal with as a ring of fire erupted along the walls around him.

ssssssssss

Sirius clutched at his left arm in agony, feeling sick with himself. He had taken the branding. Perhaps Azkaban had unsettled him more than he would like to believe, or perhaps he believed it might be possible to save Harrys soul if he could only live long enough to let Dumbledore know about it.

The knowledge he had gained from the nightmares that tore at the boys body each night were enough to send chills down most inmates spines, save those too far gone to hear them anymore.

Ofcourse, things hadn't been so pleasant for him or Bellatrix, either. After the Dementor incident they were on guard with a permenant six pack surrounding the cell. He doubted he would be sane enough to know how fucked up all of this was if not for his Animagus form.

Maybe that was why Bellatrix has become obesessed with getting a piece of potter as the months went by? It didn't really matter to him right now. The burning pain was terrible on his arm.

ssssssssss

Above him, Tom lowered his wand and placed it to Bellatrixs neck. "You wished to violate my form so, Bella, and now I will return the favor." With a soft command the Imperious was placed onto her, so strongly he wondered if perhaps it would have been better to give her a little will to resist.

Afterall, what he planned to do would be most enjoyable to see her struggle against. Readjusting his aim he placed Black under the Imperious as well, and forced him into his giant dog form. "You know what to do, Bella." Tom ordered. She dropped to her hands and knees and tugged at her robes, prying them off as she approaching her animagus cousin.

Toms vicious smile at making her do this faded abruptly at the creaking of a door, to be precise the front door. He disillusioned himself and approached the doorway, whispering in parseltongue to the sleeping wards waiting to be awoken again.

'I can not see you, but nor can you see I, Dumbledore. Only you would dare come here. My loyal servants know to report to the Riddle House.' he thought dismissively. He waited and watched as Dumbledore triggered the first trap. It vanished in mid air.

'Now I know where you are, but let us see if you will be foolish enough to keep the same shield, Dumbledore.' another trap and two more bolts. The first vanished a little further as did the second, but he heard a disgusting splat sound shortly following. 'A shame. He recognized the poison.' turning away Tom casually aimed his wand behind him and activated the ward he had only just added this night.

Fiendfyre erupted to life from four predetermined walls taking the forms of various snakes, forming a ring around and trapping the former headmaster within the room.

Walking up to animagus and witch currently engaging in certain acts that would be most amusing to display to the rest of the Death Eaters, Tom summoned Bellas discarded robes and cast a _Portus_ over them. As a brief blue outline came over them he dropped the item of clothing ontop of the two and waited. Three seconds later they were whisked away.

Almost at the same moment a boom like thunder rocked the foundations of the house, sending Tom to the floor. Dust fell from its fifty year long resting place in the room as the wall directly behind Tom collapsed. With a scowl Tom rose to his feet, dust coating his previously hidden form.

Dumbledore had forgone the invisibility cloak for freedom of movement. His wand was swishing through the air in rapid movements as he chanted in a low dialect, repelling the fiendfyre attempting to engulf him. With a sudden sharp slashing motion another crack of thunder arose and shook the house, and this time the Tom was able to see what had just occured.

The fiendfyre was crushed beneath a vortex of soundwaves, smothering its heat with galeforce wind-like vibrations.

Behind him two serpents made of fire launched at his seemingly ungaurded backside as Dumbledores shoulders sagged in slight exhaustion, but he recovered in time to begin chanting once more, wand swishing through the air and forcing the fiendfyre away from his body.

He didn't seem to be aware of the dust covered form watching from the other room. Watching in intrigue Tom wondered silently how Dumbledore was doing this, but realised with a sudden start the old man might find the horcrux. With a soft "_Accio_ Ring." it shot from the floor infront of the knocked over table through the air.

Dumbledores eyes caught it and he whipped his head around to see a dusty hand wrap around it and vanish with a crack of apparation.

ssssssssss

Tom reappeared quite some distance away on the edge of Malfoy Manor. Still holding the ring tightly clasped in one hand, he tapped his wand to the front gates. For nearly several minutes he was kept waiting, before Narcissa approached with a drawn wand.

"Who dares desturb me at this time? Has Lucius sent you to explain why he suddenly vanished before dinner tonight in such a hurry?" she demanded in a haunty tone.

Tom frowned at her tone. "Remember your manners, Lady Malfoy. Lord Voldemort sends his regards for your husbands whereabouts." he said, inclining his head. Narcissa paled and stepped back unconsciously.

"Now open the gates and step aside. This manor shall serve as my headquarters until such a time as it is invaded or I have no more need of it. _Now_!" he hissed, losing his patience. Narcissa quickly tapped her wand in three points of the gates, then stepped aside with her head bowed obediently.

Tom narrowed his eyes but stepped forward. His body passed right through as though they were not there. Once on the other side he heard the actual gates snap shut again and lock, the illusion on the outside working just as it was intended.

ssssssssss

Across wizarding Britain, numerous respected members of the community baring the Dark Mark shuddered. Whatever they had been up to at that time was pushed aside as they reached for their wands and apparated to the point where the mark had called.

Many of them were surprised to find themselves landing outside of Malfoy Manor. A couple known Death Eaters did not heed their masters call, however. And one headmaster of the not-so respected Durmstrang school ignored the marks burning entirely, refusing to acknowledge the fear that it inspired in his heart.

Severus Snape and Peter Petigrew both failed to turn up.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry Potter and the Fragments Corruption.

_**Chapter Eight: Late night actions.**_

Tom sat at the head of a long, circular table, awaiting his loyal Death Eaters. Under a minute after summoning them they began to enter, wearing black robes with hoods up, white skull masks concealing their faces. Tom himself wore the same outfit for the moment.

They shuffled in and sat down around him uncomfortably, waiting silently. Quite a few chairs were empty. "Who summoned us?" one asked. "I haven't felt the marks burn like this in fourteen years. I almost thought the Dark Lord had returned, but if he did so why isn't he here?" another spoke.

"Lucius, do you know whats going on?" another addressed Tom, assuming him to be Lucius considering this was Malfoy Manor and he was the first seated. Tom remained silent, waiting.

"What, do you think this is funny? A joke??" he asked, standing up and tearing his mask away. It was Macnair. "I oughta hex your damn head off, Malfoy! I was about to finish off a hippogryff! Do you know how often those come through my office? Once a year, if that!" he shouted in a building anger.

"Shove it, Macnair! The rest of us weren't just sitting about sleeping you know!" shouted Yaxley in growing annoyance at the other mans ranting. "I was _this_ close," he paused to indicated an inch between his thumb and index finger, "of getting some for the first time in weeks!" he growled.

This ignited comments from the others, but all fell silent at a hissed command in parseltongue caused their marks to burn lightly. They turned towards whom they assumed to be Lucius in questioning.

Tom raised a hand and banished his conjured mask, throwing his hood back. "Few of you under the age of fifty will recognize me. Especially considering the recent ritual taken to assume this body. But rest assured, my loyal Death Eaters, Lord Voldemort has returned on this night. And I have great things planned for us to commence shortly..."

ssssssssss

With the Dementors having fled Azkaban, the ministry was immediately forced to start rotating in Aurors to ensure the rest of the prisoners didn't start formulating plans of escape.

Kingsley Shacklebolt was just finishing up his round when he noticed his replacement for the hour arrive by portkey. "Good to see you're here, Dawlish." he said in greeting. The very walls seemed to have soaked in the prisoners misery and hate, pushing it off on the gaurds and Aurors as they paced the halls. In short, it made for a very miserable shift.

Dawlish nodded his head absently. "Same to you." he responded after a few moments softly. Kingsley raised an eyebrow. "How are your holdings on the Cannons doing? I've heard they might make it to the championship this year." he said.

Dawlish narrowed his eyes in annoyance at the question as Kingsley remained blocking the doorway. "Poor chance of that, Shacklebolt. Move, unless you would like to take my shift for me?" he demanded. Kingsley stepped aside. As they passed he whispered "Johns a fanatic of the Cannons." with that his binding spell slammed into the supposed Aurors backside.

Kingsley calmly approached the downed man and levitated him into the air. "Time to get some answers, whoever you may be, and inform the others we already have a breach."

ssssssssss

While that was going on, a cloaked and masked figure was approaching the grounds of the rebuilt Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry. It was a fifth of the size, with only a single tower. The rest of the land was devoted to potions resources and greenhouses for growing the needed plants. The quidditch stadium was downsized to make room for the now smaller group of students.

The gates were still on the edge of the property however, leaving quite a large open space between castle and gate.

The figure reached into their cloak and drew out several shrunken stones, and rolled them along the ground on either side of the gates before drawing out their wand and restoring them to full size. Massive boulders, half the size of Hagrid, were formed, with numerous runes carved into the surface of each.

A spark of white energy flowed off of the boulders and flickered against the wards protecting the property, as that is what these boulders were meant to do, and as the light flickered it established a connection between each boulder and the wards, drawing energy from them at a mild pace.

The figure waited patiently. Close to fifteen minutes later and a visible dome flickered into existence over the property, then dropped with a sizzling snap. The figure raised their wand and shattered the chain locking the gates shut then pushed them aside and began making a swift approach to the front doors.

ssssssssss

Severus Snape paced back and forth as a wave of magic washed through the castle. It sent a tingle down his spine and he knew it was the wards falling. Nothing less could do such a thing. Another moment passed and he suddeny drew his wand and approached the door to his office, beginning to cast every sealing charm he was aware of.

Midway through the fourth incantation and his dark mark began burning for the second time that night. Despite his efforts in the first war, Severus Snape no longer wished to return to the life of spy, or Death Eater for that matter. He longed to simply live out the rest of his life without becoming the pawn of either king in this massive chess match between Dumbledore and Voldemort, throwing away lives without care so long as a goal was met.

As thus he ignored the burn the first time it came to him, summoning all Death Eaters able to do so to come forth. It was tantamount to signing his own death warrant if Voldemort had truly returned. But Severus Snape was not just a pawn. No, he was one of the most skilled potion masters still living, and he held in his hands a weapon that Voldemort did not; the Elder Wand. Yes, he had looked into the mysterious, powerful wand that increased even the simplest of spells beyond their normal might.

Now, three years after besting its master, he knew its loyalties lay to he and he alone. Ofcourse it was also a matter of skill and luck that would determine the outcome when, not if, Voldemort broke through the wards protecting his doorway. The first of these he did not lack in, but he was certainly not one of the top-duelests in scotland, either. As for the second...

He reached into a pocket and drew out a tiny bottle filled to the cork stopped with a molten gold potion. He paused just long enough in his ward casting to uncork it and down a mouthful.

Severus grimmaced afterwards, yet with a hint of smugness behind it. 'I have felix felicis backing me on this night.' yes, the former potions master and now headmaster of the new age Hogwarts was quite sure the field of battle would be leveled on this night. The scales had become balenced.

ssssssssss

The figure stopped before a certain wall, running his hand along it. Strong magic pulsed behind this wall, of that the figure knew. He drew a wand and began silently dismantiling the wards. However, with a sudden surge of magical energies, the figures wand exploded in his hand, raining shards deadly wood down onto his arm and chest.

The figure did not acknowledge the pain this would normally cause. Instead they drew out another wand and continued. For the better part of five minutes the wards combated against the figure, destroying this wand as well as the third the figure drew out afterwards.

Shortly, as the many layered wards collapsed onto one another in a chain reaction, the wall imploded inwards, showering Snape in a mixture of different shaped rock and fine gravel. He was burried beneath half of it up to his waist, trapping him against the desk as the figure stepped inside, hood still raised and wand in a very bloody hand.

Snapes eyes widened as he expected the killing curse to fall down upon him at any moment. Instead a petrification spell hit him, just prior to the figure reaching up to draw their hood back, prying the Death Eater mask off and dropping it to the floor with a crack. Snapes blood ran cold for several seconds at the sight of his godson, Draco Malfoy, apparently fed quite a dose of aging potion and under the control of an Imperius curse.

From behind Snape the sound of soft boots landing on the floor alerted him to another figure. "Well, well. Severus Snape, potions master extraordinaire, now living the life of luxary as the headmaster of a ruined school." the voice was soft, carrying a whisper of vengence with it soon to be extracted.

Tom himself walked around the side of the desk, leaning down to prise the Elder Wand from the younger wizards limp hands. "Perhaps you are wondering how this occurred, despite taking a heavy dose of felix felicis? My young turncoat, you should have learned by now to triple check your ingredients before adding. Mr. Malfoy was able to switch out a very precise item needed to ensure the potions proper mixing." Tom paused to laugh at the expression on Snapes face.

"You should have heeded my call this night, Severus. I did not wish to kill you, even when I could easily replace you with Horace Slughorn." With a dramatic sigh Tom stood up and walked away, having Draco release the spell holding him still and silent.

Instantly Snape shouted "Life debt! Potters life debt!", skin chalk white and eyes widened in fear of his possible impending doom. Tom stopped, turning to face him. "Explain." he demanded. Snape swiftly told him of James Potter saving his life from the werewolf Lupin when they were still in school.

Toms eyes narrowed with more and more of this unfolding. Still Snape continued, explaining how the life debt fell to their only surviving blood line, Harry Potter, when James was killed, of how it forced him to try and save the boys life if it could be done by turning him in to Dumbledore.

Atlast Tom held up a hand, and Snape fell silent. "Is your life debt concluded, Severus?" he asked. Snape considered it. The nagging feel to protect the Potter child was no longer there, unlike several hours ago. "No, my master." he responded, determined to atleast live through this night until, perhaps, somewhere down the line he could be free.

Tom nodded his head. "So be it. I have much understanding of the ways of which life debts work. To think that you feared death more than my wrath.. you have more spine than I could imagine, after all these years in peace, Severus. But I can see in your eyes the way you follow this wands movement, and not just with the usual terror of death to come. You know what this wand is, do you not??" he questioned.

Snape almost said no, but in this situation could not manage it. "Yes, I know that it is the Elder Wand." he answered. "Then you know that it is but one of three hallows. I must collect them all, Severus. Perhaps you can redeem yourself on this night afterall."

ssssssssss

Dumbledore finished putting the fiendfyre out and looked at the ruins of the Gaunt Shack. If a horcrux was in there, it would have been destroyed. This left only a couple left; the locket and the cup. For Dumbledore was never made aware of the diary, nor the diadem, and he could not be aware of Nagini considering the snakes short life.

And ofcourse, the fragment lodged within young Harrys skull in plain sight did not occure to him, atleast not yet, to be a possible fourth horcrux.

With a sigh of exhaustion, Dumbledore focused on his destination, spun on his heel, and apparated to the next location; a lone, rough rock cliff on the outskirts of the sea, where Voldemort had come as a mere child some sixty, seventy years before and tortured other children.

The locket was his current agenda, and the aging wizard was confident he could obtain it and destroy it before needing to rest. But something else was currently on his mind; who had stood there, watching him fight off the fiendfyre? Could it be not just a simple Death Eater, but perhaps one housing Voldemorts phantom-like spirit, as Quirrell himself once had?

It was a question that would take him some time to figure out, if ever.


End file.
